Learning Thai vs. Lao Languages

where you have to think like this. you obviously have trust issues with those around you.

never thought like that before, until exposed to whole village/family conspiracy to use farang as walking ATM. this is from experience, luckily smart enough not to get taken big time. but on reflection of how deep the deception and amount of people involved, it is amazing. unfortunitely if you believe half the stories, sad.

i have no trust issues, i trust everyone until i have reason not to. i also don't borrow or lend money, to anyone, self rules from 30 yrs ago.

Hey!!LA you are stealing my lines

I am very new to the forum and have much to learn. Why are some postings a cause for personal attacks and insults? When one posts their personal opinion or experience, they shouldn't attacked and insulted. However when they insist they are right and all must follow, then its time to throw empty beer cans.

If our friend Laphanphon wants to learn Thai/ Lao and not let anyone know, thats great. I couldn't do it but would love to hear more. I can see a lot of funny situations arising. If we are to encourage more people to participate, let it not be a matter of risking insults or personal attacks.

I am just curious how successful Inasia has been in learning other languages. Has he done this before? Can he really learn a new language by visiting an area and opening a language dictionary? Has he been successful in retaining language skills after he moves on? I've lost so much of my Lao in the past years even though I practice with my Lao speaking wife and Lao Friends. I spent 5 years in the middle East and could never learn more than a dozen words of Arabic. I was some what successful in speaking french, but right now almost all is forgotten. Use it or lose it.

Then too, in my experience, Lao has been an very easy Language to learn, apparently a lot easier than Thai. I wonder how much time is available for Inasia to learn, and what skill level is needed.

My wife grew up near Nongkhai and she speaks the same dialect as I learned in Vientianne. Maybe I just wasn't swift enough to hear differences between her Lao and mine. But then again I never noticed real differences in spoken Lao with in Laos itself.

I asked my Lao friends what is this "Issan Language"?. I never heard that phrase before. They told me its a politically correct term for Lao; and is exactly the same as the Lao I learned. They could be wrong, but its no doing me any good to analyze all these factors, Just speak the Language. Utilize don't analyze.

Looking forward to meeting Inasia and wish him sokdee or whatever they say in Udorn these days.

See you all in a few months.

uncle tom wrote:I am very new to the forum and have much to learn. Why are some postings a cause for personal attacks and insults? When one posts their personal opinion or experience, they shouldn't attacked and insulted. However when they insist they are right and all must follow, then its time to throw empty beer cans.

s.

It is just some folks think they own this forum and have nominated themselves King or some such. Some think they are superior in knowledge, some in looks and some on just being human. You just have to ignore them.

By the way, I have met LA and a nice guy. Most of the folks on here are nice folks. It is just a few.

The good thing about a forum is it does let the bitter in. Just keep throwin those beer cans and one day the bitter will leave.

thanks banpaeng

you do make me feel at home

uncle tom

some in looks

hmm....who could that conceited person be, full of himself, obviously. or full of something.

I have met LA and a nice guy

and i used to say, 'i only believe half i see and nothing i read'

banpaeng wrote:Just keep throwing in those beer cans and one day the bitter will leave.

...preferably full ones!

Uncle Tom, thanks for the well wishes. I will try to answer your questions. In the past, I have attempted to learn Japanese, Romanian, Cambodian (Khmer) and Chinese, with varying degrees of success. I think time and motivation are the primary factors in success or failure. I learned a little Romanian just for a lark because I went there for a two-week vacation. Mostly I have just learned survival phrases and could only handle simple conversations. And yes, I do not remember much of any of those languages with the exception of Chinese (curently studying), and some Khmer. As you say, "Use it or lose it."
Time had been a problem because I have been teaching full-time for the past 16 years, these last two being at a univeristy in China. So learning languages (or trying to) has been more of a hobby than anything else. Motivation is factor even now because I am simply not interested in living in China long-term. Had I been more enamoured with Chinese culture, I believe I would have learned a lot more at this juncture.
With the change in immigration laws, when I settle in Thailand it will most probably be with a retirement visa. That will solve the time problem since I would be prohibited from working. No, I don't expect to learn a language by just opening a book; I could never learn it that way. I have always used tapes or CDs along with a book, and in the case of Japanese, Chinese and Khmer, I have either enrolled in classes or hired personal tutors. I don't think there is any magic to learning most languages, I think it is largely a matter of time, motivation, and of course hard work. Having taught for many years, I also realize language acquisition is easier for some people than others, and for a variety of reasons. Thanks again to all those who took this question seriously and provided valuable insights. Your time spent is greatly appreciated.

It is just some folks think they own this forum and have nominated themselves King or some such. Some think they are superior in knowledge, some in looks and some on just being human.

Hate to give this poster more notoriety because he obviously thrives on that as a pathetic way of gaining attention, but it is ironic that hs avatar means "Great" in Chinese.

lao is much easier to learn than thai especially the further south you go it is spoken much faster and some words are clipped off and that can make it diffcult for the non native speaker if one is to live in issan both needed at sometime thanks and chok dee john ps effort and good humour would seem to be the key

It has been my experience that no matter what language you understand,that they will speak a different language or dialect in your presence if there is anything important to say!They will speak what you can understand when it is important to them for you to understand!

If you can speak Lao,you can talk with no locals in our area just fine!If you can speak Bangkok Thai,you can also speak to the locals.I personally would not waste my time,unless it is a hobby,learning to understand conversations that are not meant for you to understand!

If you and your wife have very good communication,that is all that is important!You will get more smiles if you speak a local language,but it will not emerge you into society,family or not.You are falang